By El Dorado Winery Association

This year’s near-perfect growing season and long hang time on the vines hinted that harvest would yield plenty of intensely flavored grapes — and that’s just what our vintners report from their cellars as they put these young wines to bed.

A hot spell earlier this month sped up the harvest that began the first week of September, and many wineries were done picking before the mid-October storm. One winery hauled in 26 tons just two days before.

After the rains, some hearty varieties like Mourvedre, Roussanne and Petit Verdot were still on the vine, among the last to be picked. Winemakers are wrapping up crush by pressing off the last of their reds and bringing in just a few remaining whites.

After months of nurturing these grapes, El Dorado’s vintners and their crews already are looking forward to enjoying the fruits of their labor.